A few years ago, we shared some of our team’s holiday traditions, and it quickly became one of our favorite ways to celebrate the season. Every year, we are reminded that while we may be spread across different countries, cultures, and time zones, the holidays offer a shared moment to pause, reflect, and connect.
This year, we chose to revisit this idea and once again spotlight the people behind our language services. We invited our interpreters and translators to share a favorite holiday tradition, from family gatherings and cherished foods to spiritual reflections and community celebrations. These stories offer a glimpse into the diverse experiences that shape our global team and the empathy they bring to their work every day.
From The Executive Team
First up is our fearless leader, Bobby Lahiere:
What, if any, holidays do you celebrate?
Christmas
What’s your favorite holiday or family tradition?
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, but since this is a December blog, I will focus on Christmas…every year at Christmas, we play the Saran Wrap Ball Game with our (now grown) kids. We wrap a bunch of small gifts (gift cards, candy, soaps, shampoos, small liquor bottles, trinkets, etc.) in an ever growing Saran wrap ball. When it’s one kid’s turn to try to unwrap it, the next kid in line rolls two dice…the first kid keeps frantically trying to unroll the ball and release any of the “buried” gifts (keeping the ones they liberate while it’s their turn). Whenever the kid rolling the dice rolls doubles of any kind, the kid unwrapping the ball stops immediately and all the kids switch places. The process repeats until the ball is completely opened.
What your favorite holiday movie and why?
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is my favorite holiday movie because I have a big sense of humor, and it has just become a tradition to watch it every year.
Kim Beck, VP Remote Services
What, if any, holidays do you celebrate?
Christmas
What’s your favorite holiday or family tradition?
I actually have two favorites. First, we have a family tradition of giving at least one handmade gift to our immediate family. These gifts are always my favorite because of the time and thought put into each one. Second, when our kids were young, we would drive around neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights while drinking hot cocoa and singing Christmas songs. Now that our kids are grown, we take our grandchildren. It’s just as much fun now as it was when I was a kid!
What your favorite holiday movie and why?
My favorite holiday movie is A Christmas Story probably because it is so funny and relatable. Every kid has tried to convince their parents to get them a particular item for Christmas at one time or another, and everyone has a family that is less than perfect. The movie is filled with various scenes and one liners that will keep you laughing. One of my favorites is when Ralphie’s dad, who has won a “major award,” receives a large wooden crate. Everyone is gathered around the crate in anticipation. When his dad reads the label “fragile,” he sounds it out as “fra-gee-lay,” then declares “It must be Italian!!” It may be the “foreign language” connection, but it makes me laugh every time!
Kathleen Clark, Director of Client Services
What, if any holidays do you celebrate?
Christmas
What’s your favorite holiday or family tradition?
Halloween
What your favorite holiday movie and why?
A Christmas Story is my favorite because I like to see bullies getting beat up. Just kidding! But I do like it when the dogs steal the turkey. The entire movie is just great.
Candice DeRiso, Marketing Strategist
What, if any holidays do you celebrate?
Christmas and Winter Solstice
What’s your favorite holiday or family tradition?
I love to decorate the Christmas tree on the winter solstice (also my sister’s birthday) with my family. It’s so much fun to see all of the ornaments we have collected over the years. Some of the best ones are from when I was a kid. It’s also a tradition to receive your childhood ornaments from parents once we get married. Now my collection of ornaments gets combined with my son and husband’s ornaments.
What your favorite holiday movie and why?
This is a tough question! My first instinct is to say Frosty the Snowman, but Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is pretty crucial for the season as well. Those are the “kid” movies I love. My “grown up” movie favorite is definitely all about the Griswalds – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Sally Clark, Project Manager
What, if any holidays do you celebrate?
Christmas
What’s your favorite holiday or family tradition?
My favorite holidays are Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We go all out for Halloween, decorating so much that the neighbors are envious. Dressing up when there’s enough time to do so, and wowing the kiddos with full size candy bars. It’s a lot of fun. Thanksgiving and Christmas are a given, in my opinion, as they’re centered around family, charity and kindness.
What your favorite holiday movie and why?
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I absolutely love the movie because it’s hilarious, a little over the top, and never gets old. The portrayed sentiments towards family members are relatable. Everyone knows someone who can truly sympathize to Clark’s outburst after receiving enrollment to the ‘jelly of the month club’ instead of his usual Christmas bonus. LOL
Holiday Traditions from Our Interpreters and Translators Around the World
Ioannis
Role at SpokenHere
Translator at SpokenHere since 2019
Country
Greece
What is your Favorite Tradition?
One of the most cherished Greek Christmas traditions is the decoration of the “karavaki” – a small wooden boat.
Before the Christmas tree became popular in Greece, especially on the islands and in coastal towns, families would decorate a boat with lights and ornaments to symbolize safe voyages and welcome returning sailors. Even today, many Greeks decorate both a tree and a boat during the holiday season.
This tradition reflects Greece’s deep connection to the sea and is a beautiful symbol of hope, homecoming, and light during the winter months.
Yevgeniy
Role at SpokenHere
Translator at SpokenHere since 2014
Country
Israel
What is your Favorite Tradition?
My favorite tradition of the season is the lighting of Hanukkah candles. Our winter holiday lasts for eight days to commemorate the Menorah miracle in the Jerusalem Temple almost 2,500 years ago. On the first day, one candle should be lit, on the second day – two candles, and so on.
My favorite tradition of the season is the lighting of Hanukkah candles. Our winter holiday lasts for eight days to commemorate the Menorah miracle in the Jerusalem Temple almost 2,500 years ago. On the first day, one candle should be lit, on the second day – two candles, and so on.
I took the photo on the first day of the festival. However, you can see there are two candles instead of one. The lower one is called “the servant”. In the past, when there were no matches or lighters, this auxiliary candle was used to provide a fast and safe fire source during the lighting ceremony. This is why the modern Hanukkah candlesticks are nine-branched and not eight-branched.
Flavio
Role at SpokenHere
Translator since 2015
Country
Venezuela
What is your Favorite Tradition?
The typical Christmas dinner, which can be found in virtually every Venezuelan house on December 24, is the “Hallaca”. It comprises a large bun or tamale made of maize flour and stuffed with a variety of foods, like chicken, pork, beef, olives, raisins, onions, pickles, and a variety of other foods and seasonings that vary from region to region.
But it’s much more than a tasty national Christmas dish. It is about the family preparations needed to make the Hallacas; purchasing the best selections according family tastes, gathering to make them, which can go from one to three days, and the stages to prepare them: “el guiso” (stew), kneading, preparing the banana leaves, and “dressing” the Hallaca. All of these tasks are shared among family members and creates days filled with memories, anecdotes, jokes, and stories of the past year.
Rodrigo
Role at SpokenHere
Translator since 2019
Country
Colombia
What is your Favorite Tradition?
In Colombia, we have a unique tradition called Novena. Rooted in Catholicism, Novena includes praying and singing religious songs. When the prayers are finished, we share food, dance, use fireworks and drink. It begins on December 16 and continues through December 24.
Dario
Role at SpokenHere
Translator since 2011
Country
Italy
What is your Favorite Tradition?
During the Christmas Holidays, a recent tradition has emerged where the sons and daughters of the town return from wherever they live to spend a few precious days with their own family and friends they do not see regularly. On December 24th, before Christmas eve dinner, we all hang out in the city central square to say “hi” to all those we haven’t seen in a long time, having fun and sharing toasts.
More than 10 years ago this “meet and great” day became officially a festival with DJs, live shows, bars serving prosecco and a spritz named “S’move” (“it moves”). The name reflects the fact we live in an area subject to earthquakes quite often and thousands of people dance all day long in the warm embrace of the crowd, This is my new favorite tradition, a day where we all are happy for Christmas, happy to see people we love but have not had the chance to see as often as we wish, happy to visit with those we grew up with together, happy to see our town dancing, happy for forgetting for a little while our bills and problems.
Teguh
Role at SpokenHere
Translator since 2011
Country
Indonesia
What is your Favorite Tradition?
I am a Christian living in a Muslim country, and my favorite holiday tradition is Idul Fitri, when everyone goes back to their childhood hometown or visits their older relatives. The traffic at this time can be unbearable. A distance that usually takes just six hours may now take twenty-four hours or even more during peak density.
In my hometown, people will usually do ‘halal bihalal’, meaning forgiving one another after the Idul Fitri prayer. As for my main holiday, Christmas, I celebrate it mostly in a spiritual and or religious way. I usually get quite busy during this time, in the local group of my big church, in preparing for the Christmas service and celebration.
Hanifullah
Role at SpokenHere
Interpreter since 2025
Country
Afghanistan
What is your Favorite Tradition?
One of my favorite holidays which coincides roughly with this time of year is Eid al-Adha. This holiday brings families, neighbors, and communities together, and they carry both cultural and spiritual significance.
In our tradition, preparations begin several days before Eid. Families clean and decorate their homes, buy new clothes for children, and prepare special dishes such as sheer khurma, bolani, and various sweets. On the morning of Eid, we attend a congregational prayer, greet relatives, and visit elders to show respect. Traditions include buying small gifts or sweets for guests, preparing traditional desserts, and giving Eidi, a small amount of money given to children as a token of blessing and happiness. These minor expenses help create a joyful atmosphere and are an important part of hospitality. Many families purchase an animal such as a sheep or goat to perform a ritual sacrifice. This is considered a significant expense and is done according to each family’s ability. The meat is then divided into three parts: one for the family, one for relatives and neighbors, and one for the poor. This tradition emphasizes generosity, community support, and caring for those in need.
Leonard
Role at SpokenHere
Translator since 2011
Country
Brazil
What is your Favorite Tradition?
Although I live in Brazil, I’m Dutch and love to eat ‘oliebollen.’ They are very typical for the Christmas holiday season in the Netherlands and taste like donuts!
Alberto
Role at SpokenHere
Interpreter since 2025
Country
Peru
What is your Favorite Tradition?
My favorite holiday tradition is preparing the turkey! One of my earliest memories is helping my mom prepare it, which is something I did for many years, up until my replacement was born! Since 2015, my three year old daughter has taken up that role. Now, ten years later, she has never missed the chance of preparing the turkey alongside her grandmother. She became so good at it that for the last two years my mom has been the assistant!
Reading these traditions reminds us how meaningful it is to learn from one another. They remind us that language is more than words; it’s how we share stories, preserve culture, and build understanding across borders. The diverse traditions shared here reflect the lived experiences of our translators and interpreters and the care they bring to every interaction. We’re grateful to work alongside such a globally connected team and to continue supporting meaningful communication during the holidays and throughout the year.
What Are Some Of Your Team’s Holiday Traditions?
How about you? Do you and your family have unique holiday traditions, favorite movies, or memories? How about your team member’s holiday traditions? Let us know about it!
As we wrap up a busy year here at SpokenHere, we wish you all a restful and joyful holiday season, and look forward to the new year ahead. Happy holidays!